Secret Place

Three days ago, when I showed you the way to the woods in this garden, I mentioned a special linden or lime tree. Linden is tilleul in French.

This is that tree. I was lucky to catch it in today's late afternoon sun. It's fairly big, nearly a hundred feet tall. Its lower branches swoop all the way down to the ground. When it's in full leaf the bench underneath it becomes invisible, making it the perfect spot for day-dreaming or a post-prandial nap. Have a closer look.

Linden flowers have the most haunting fragrance. When the lindens bloom for a few weeks in early July, bees will forsake most other flowers in J's garden to flock to them. Their scent fills the entire neighbourhood. In the spring, the ground around this tree is carpeted with snowdrops. Behind it, the woods begin.